My life suffered a lot in a summer five years ago. My father died in a car accident, leaving my mother, my two younger brothers and I alone. At that time, I was a senior high school student. After my father’s funeral (葬礼), I had no choice but to drop out of school and work in a factory.

I really wanted to return to school and wanted to go to college, but I couldn’t. I only hoped to bring up my two younger brothers. Life was not easy for me, for I can’t afford their tuition (学费) even if I worked from day to night without stopping. Without my father’s protection, I thought I was a slave (奴隶) to the fate.

Later on, something changed my life. I still remember that it was a rainy day. I put myself in the rain and walked slowly in the street.

Suddenly the rain stopped! I raised my head and found “the sky” was in fact a dark blue umbrella. Then I noticed a middle-aged man with one leg on crutch (拐杖) standing behind me. He said to me, “Why not run without an umbrella? If you didn’t run, you would get drenched.”

The man told me that he was promoter (推销员). He once dreamed of being a policeman, but an accident ruined (毁灭) his dream. Though his present job was not suitable for his legs, it was wonderful start to him. He was very happy that he didn’t lose heart and still “ran” on the road of life…

I was encouraged by the man’s words. I went to a big city and I became an assurance representative (保险代理人). After two years’ running, I did well and my family condition turned better little by little. Later I returned to school and succeeded in my entrance to university.

Life is like this. When you are in rainy days in your life, if you couldn’t find a way to prevent you from being wet, you would be overwhelmed (被制服). But if you decide to get rid of it, you’ll discover that the rainy days last not so long as you imagine.

1.What happened to the writer at the beginning of the story? 

    A. His father died in a car accident six years ago.

    B. He didn’t have money to hold the funeral for his father.

    C. He had to drop out of school to look after his sick mother.

    D. He couldn’t afford his two brothers’ tuition even if he worked from day to night.

2.About the middle-aged man with one leg on crutch, which of the following is NOT true?

    A. He lost one leg in an accident.

    B. He had dreamed of being a policeman.

C. He became a promoter after an accident.

    D. He had a good job which was suitable for him very well.

3.What does the underlined word “drenched” mean in Chinese?

    A. 干燥的       B. 湿透的      C. 紧张的      D.舒服的

4.What’s the main idea of the sixth paragraph?

   A. The writer learned from the man and the situation soon got better.

B. The writer didn’t want to listen to the man and left without any word.

   C. The writer had to give up his dream and became a promoter as the man.

   D. The writer made friends with the man and they got on well with each other.

5.Which is the best title for the passage?

   A. Try to Be Independent.

B. Care for the Disabled Person.

   C. Run out of the Rainy Season of Your Life.

D. Get to Know More About Middle-aged People

 

Do you want to know anything about ma staying in America? Well, Let me tell you the truth, it is really an eye-opening experience to study here.
In China, I had English classes five times a week since the fifth grade. However didn’t know textbook English was very different from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut.
When I first studied English, I was told to say，“I am fine” when people say “How are you?”But in the US, I found that people say,” I am good” or “I am tired.”
One day, someone greeted me with” What’s up?”It made me confused. I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn’t know what to say.
Since then, I have discovered more and more differences between Chinese and the US cultures.
To my surprise, the US girls spend a lot of time in burning sun getting a tan （晒黑）. However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin paler（白的）.
I am also surprised by how hardworking the US students are. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard all the time. But here, an “excellent” student gets good grades, does a lot for the public and plays sports or music .The kids here are so talented ，I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports.
【小题1】How often did the writer have an English class in Grade Five?
A. Four times a week.
B. Five times a week.
C. Six times a week.
【小题2】To the winter, textbook English is          everyday English.
A. quite different from B. the same as   C. easier than
【小题3】A good US student spends his/her time         .
A. only in doing homework 
B. only on sports or music
C. on studies, sports or music and public work
【小题4】Which of following is NOT true?             
A. The writer is now in the US
B. American girls love to have while skin
C. The US students are talented and hard working.
【小题5】Which is the best title for the passage?           
A. My own Travel in the US.
B. My Study in the US.
C. My friends in the US.

1 

Recent research from the Pew Internet Project suggests that 90% of Americans aged from 12 to 17 use the Internet, and 51% of those teens use social networks. However, there are many possible problems with social networking sites and the teenagers who use them.

Apart from the social advantages, social networking sites can be used to record school research, develop artistic talents and experiment with other forms of subject creation. They provide a way to communicate with others who share the same interests and to get helpful advice on ongoing projects.

Along with these advantages come some dangers. For example, most social networking sites are open to all, especially MySpace, which is the most popular social network among teens in America. It means that they could be put in unpleasant and frightening situations.

A greater danger is that teens may become objects of the people with secret purposes. The secrecy of some social networking sites makes it easy for dangerous people to find young teens and invite them into dangerous conversations. It’s easy for them to pretend as teens and draw children into dangerous real-world communication as well. Then further hurt might be on its way.

Another danger is identity stealing, which can happen when teens share too much information about their names, dates of birth and locations.

Therefore, it’s very important to make sure teens are safe when they use social networks.

Many of the same rules that work for online chat work for these sites:

※ Don’t use your real name.

※ Don’t give out personal information to people you don’t know. A last name and a town are enough for a bad guy to find where you are.

※ Don’t believe that people are who they say to be.

※ Immediately end any communication that makes you uncomfortable and report it to a parent.

Only if you are sure of your safety, can you enjoy the fun brought by social networking. Besides, trying to deal with all problems on your own can lead to terrible results. Remember, asking your parents or school officials for help doesn’t mean you are unable to do anything but wiser than many others.                                             

1.How many dangers of using social networks are mentioned in the passage?

A. 2.                 B. 3.                C. 4.                D. 5.

2.The writer takes MySpace as an example to show that ________.

A. students could be put into unreal situations on the Internet

B. teenagers are facing unknown dangers on the social networks

C. Internet provides more social websites to American teenagers

D. social networks are very popular among teenagers in America

3.We can infer from the passage that ________.

A. the dangers are similar when chatting online and surfing social networks

B. more than half American teenagers aged from 12 to 17 use social networks

C. teens who ask for help are wiser when meeting problems on social networks

D. there are more disadvantages than advantages for teens to use social networks

 

Think of life as a game in which you are playing with five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit and you keep all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce (弹跳) back.

But the other four balls, family, health, friends and spirit, are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be broken. They will never be the same. You must understand that and try to have balance in your life. How?

Don’t look down on your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different and each of us is special.

Don’t let other people set goals for you. Only you know what is best for yourself.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid of difficulties. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible. The quickest way to receive love is to give it; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don’t use time or words carelessly. You can’t get them back. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that’s why we call it “the present” Life is not a competition, but a trip, step by step.

1.The passage tells us not to _________ because everyone is special.

A. be afraid of difficulties       

B. be afraid to learn

C. run through life so fast

D. compare yourself with others to look down on your worth

2.The sentence “Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.” means that _____.

A. Nothing is possible        

B. If we don’t give up, there is always hope

C. You should learn to give up     

D. Although you try, nothing will change.

3.The best way to keep love is to ___________.

A. say it’s impossible        B. give it       

C. give it wings       D. hold it tightly

4.According to the passage, which is the best title? ___________

A. Nothing is impossible.          

B. Glass balls are easy to be broken.

C. Things you can’t do            

D. Treat your life in a right way.

 

There are many kinds of ants in America. One kind is very strong. People are afraid of it.
These ants move in a large group. They eat all the animals on their way. They can kill and eat elephants, and they can eat wood houses. Sometimes even people are killed by them. When the ants come, people leave their homes. But people are sometimes glad after the ants pass through, because they can see no insects(昆虫) or snakes.
【小题1】Some ants in America can be very ______.

A．heavy

B．strong

C．large

D．thin

【小题2】People and animals are afraid of _____ in America.

A．one kind of ant

B．all kinds of ants

C．small ants

D．large ants.

【小题3】People have to get away from the ants because ________.

A．they can eat and kill elephants

B．they can also eat wood houses

C．they go in large groups

D．they can even kill people

【小题4】Where are the insects or the snakes after the ants pass through?

A．They hide themselves under the ground.

B．They have moved to other places before the ants come.

C．They can be killed and eaten up by the ants.

D．They were killed by people.

【小题5】Which is the best title for the story?

A．Ants

B．American Ants

C．A strong Ant

D．Animals